As the summer winds down, rumor season winds up. We can't say that enough. Expect it: fast, furious, leaks, photos (legit and 'shopped), whispers, unnamed staffers, broken NDAs. It's gonna get hot out there with a new iOS and likely a new handset to go with it. But, Apple's always got a trick or two up its sleeve, so what else is cooking in the long slow summer burn?

Apple is now the top mobile computer manufacturer in the world, according to the latest research from DisplaySearch. In the last quarter, Apple beat rival HP for first place, having shipped a total of 13.5 million units for year-over-year growth of 136 percent.

Apple has quickly and quietly moved against knock off stores in the Queens borough of New York City. The stores, named Apple Story and Fun Zone Inc, both owned by New York resident Janie Po Chiang, have allegedly been selling counterfeit iPad, iPhone, and iPod accessories labeled as genuine Apple products.

The accessories were apparently sold in packaging carrying an Apple trademark, marked with the phrase "Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China", and had markings similar to those found on authentic Apple products.

No, it’s not a yogurt that makes your Mac, um, run more smoothly. But McTiVia could dramatically improve how much you enjoy your Mac by wirelessly beaming your Mac’s display to your TV. There’s a catch or two, but just take a moment to think about how awesome it’d be to slap your OS X Desktop on your big screen and watch videos, surf, or even check email while your Mac hums away efficiently in another room.

It’s hard to say what you’d do in the event of a zombie apocalypse, though most people agree that they’d arm themselves to the teeth -- and perhaps set the undead hordes on fire. As you do in Burn Zombie Burn, a third-person strategic shooter in which you fight wave after wave of assorted zombies. Initially you have a revolver and a torch, then upgrade to assorted Uzis, shotguns, clubs, explosives, flamethrowers, chainsaws, lawnmowers, mind control rays, and Gatling guns.

Games, games, games. The more you play, the more you enjoy, the better you feel. Mac gaming hasn't always been a priority for game publishers, but with digital distribution platforms like Steam and the Mac App Store, the world's made it easier to buy a game, download it and then play it right away. So if you're ready for it, from free to five bucks to full-priced must-plays, here are 10 top-shelf games every Mac gamer should be playing right now.

Minecraft is an enigma. The simplicity, both visually and conceptually, might turn off hardcore gamers who have no urge to build massive structures and replicas. But take up your tools for even a few hours and you'll inevitably be addicted by the game's scale. In Minecraft, your only impediment is your own creativity. Here's a glimpse of my time in the Minecraft world.

It goes without saying that the more memory your Mac has access to, the smoother it will run. This is particularly true in the age of 64-bit operating systems like OS X Lion and apps that can take advantage of all available RAM you can throw at it. But do you know where to find the best deals on memory -- and does it make sense to pay more?

Spy shots are the images sent to rumor sites from secret sources and shadowy situations. They are supposedly from testing labs, or manufacturers, or even from bus riders who think they just saw an Apple employee flashing the latest goods on the commute home. Simply put, we can't get enough of them.

What makes them so compelling? Is it the hope that you will be able to tell your friends that you saw "it" first? Is it the rebel in you, that wants to believe in a world where someone is willing to defy the legendary secrecy of Cupertino? Do you just love to laugh at really bad Photoshop jobs?

Good Mac gaming news like this doesn't come along every day, folks, so cherish this. Word has reached our ears that Grand Theft Auto III will be in the Mac App Store today, and that its sequels (Vice City and San Andreas) will follow shortly.